I'm Not Ready
by AlwaysPhantasmagoria
Summary: [Zutara Songfic, Oneshot] Set to Not Ready to Make Nice, by the Dixie Chicks, Zuko and Katara's thoughts about their similar pasts lead them together fighting Azula.


I never intended for this to be a Zutara fic… but that's what it came out to be… And, this is set before Season 2 starts so yeah. (I wrote this awhile ago.)

**I'm Not Ready**  
**Written by:** Sara (AvaGirl)  
**Story Written:** 7/26/06  
**Story Posted:** 7/10/07  
**Song Used: **"I'm Not Ready to Make Nice" by the Dixie Chicks  
**Main Characters:** Zuko (16), Katara (14), and Azula (14)  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own ATLA, if I did then there would be much more romance in the show. But I don't own it, so there's not as much… neither do I own the song (Not Ready to Make Nice by the Dixie Chicks) if I did then, well, the Dixie Chicks wouldn't sing it!

**This is a ZUTARA Songfic, if you do not ship ZUTARA (Heck, I don't even ship Zutara) then don't read and post rude comments afterward. If you can say in a respectable manner that you don't like Zutara go ahead, but still I have no clue why you would be reading this.**

* * *

Zuko knelt by the rushing clear river water as he washed his forearms in the cool liquid. He stopped for a moment, his golden eyes locked within his reflection's. His eyes darted away, then back, studying himself. His dark black hair was short and choppy and his expression was somehow calmer than usual. Of course, one thing never changed- his scar. He remembered the day so clearly… and yet, he didn't want to remember it. 

_Forgive, sounds good,_

_Forget, I'm not sure I could,_

Even after the years, he could still feel the pain, physically and emotionally.

_They say, time heals everything,_

_But I'm still waiting._

Waves of memories washed over the prince as he continued to stare at his scar. They were all so terrible thoughts too… bringing new pain to him. But of course, it wasn't as if failing each day by not capturing the Avatar brought enough regular sorrow to his life.

_I'm through with doubt,_

_There's nothing left for me to figure out,_

_I've paid a price,_

_And I'll keep paying._

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Not too far down the same river, Katara was practicing her waterbending. She froze part of the stream over, then melted it. She sighed and sat down on the embankment. She hadn't been feeling well for awhile, although she knew she wasn't sick. It was an emotional sickness she had and Katara knew for a fact why. Clouds passed overhead, pure white and as fragile as silk. But each one looked down at her with a declaration of pain, each one carved as an angel, each one looked like her mother.

"I'll never, ever forget that day…" she muttered to herself as she thought of the Fire Nation raid that killed her mother. She stood back up, suddenly angry, and hot tears slid now her cheeks as if to prove it. Angry at the firebenders who murdered her mother and sent her father away, angry with her father for not helping her mother when she was dying and even angry with Aang for disappearing for a hundred years. Katara brushed away the salty tears and began to waterbend. Her feelings fueled her bending and made each move end with a perfect, strong stance.

_I'm not ready to make nice,_

_I'm not ready to back down,_

_I'm still mad as h--- and,_

_I don't have to go round and round and round._

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Zuko saw his mirror image blur as tiny, blue-scaled fish swam in circles beneath the surface. He scowled and decided to think of something other than his past. His thoughts turned to his sister, Azula. _Perfect prodigy Azula,_ he thought, growing mad, _I don't wanna be like her, I don't wanna be perfect…_

_It's too late to make it right,_

_Probably wouldn't if I could,_

'_Cause I'm mad as h---,_

_Can't bring myself to do what it is you think I should._

Zuko's mind flashed to his scar once more, something that had burned itself into his thoughts then he desperately tried to think of something else.

_I know you said,_

_Can't you just get over it?_

_It turned my, whole world around,_

_The girl...The water tribe, waterbending girl. Katara, _he thought with a small smile.

_And I kind of like it._

_It's strange,_ he continued to regard, _trying to capture the Avatar isn't as bad-_ he was cut off from rustling in a bush across the river. Looking up, Zuko stared at the plant, wondering what interrupted his daydream. Suddenly, the avatar, whose arm was bleeding heavily, burst through the leaves and started sprinting toward the field… down river…

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Waterbending helped Katara get her anger out but she still had so many more emotions inside that she wanted to unleash. She heard a sharp crack then saw Aang, on the opposite side of the waterway, rush by. Following him was Azula, Zuko's sister. _Zuko…_ she thought dreamily. She quickly shook her head and jumped across the narrow stream and faced Azula.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Zuko didn't care much when he saw the Avatar run past, his head was in the clouds so he just continued what he started, _-isn't as bad with Katara around._ He pondered for a moment, _I guess I don't regret my banishment as much anymore… I just spoke out against other people… and that's who I am. And I got to meet her, Katara._ He gazed up to see a bolt of lightning being shot out from between hedges. He then saw his sister come out from where the lighting had evolved from where the cold fire had appeared and after Aang.

He leapt across the river, just to see Azula nearly crash into _…Katara…_ whom had come from nowhere.

_I made my bed and I sleep like a baby,_

_With no regrets and I don't mind saying,_

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_It's a sad, sad story when a mother will teach her daughter,_

_That she ought to hate a perfect stranger._

"Azula!" Katara shouted.

Nimbly, she lifted water in the air and immediately began throwing it at Azula. Again and again, Katara turned to hit her in every possible angle. Azula, however, dodged most of the attempts with simple techniques. Katara panted, out of breath, as Azula stood, glaring at both her and Zuko. She took advantage of this moment, charged her energy and let out a bolt of lightning straight towards Katara.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"No!" Zuko yelled in despair. He jumped in front of Katara and used the method Iroh had taught him to deflect the strike back towards Azula. Easily and with little effort, Azula blocked the move with a shield of protective blue fire.

"Aw, Zuzu, you didn't want her to get a scar like yours. That's sweet of you. " She spoke in a mocking tone of voice.

Zuko's mind went back to his scar. He remembered so much… What he said… and what he shouldn't have said.

_How in the world can the words that I said,_

_Send somebody so over the edge_

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Katara just stood there, awed at what Prince Zuko had just done.

"Zuko…" she whispered hesitantly.

"Shut up!" Azula growled, preparing her next lightning attack.

_That they'd write me a letter,_

_Saying that I better, shut up and sing_

Rage ran through her body again and a furious glare appeared on her face, while true hate filled her icy blue eyes.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In one movement, both Zuko and Katara shot water and fire at the princess, each picturing their own mother praising them for their deeds.

_Or my life will be over!_

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Azula dodged the paired attack, but Zuko was ready and shot a blaze of fire at her.

_I'm not ready to make nice,_

Katara froze the water she had hanging mid-air and sent the wall of ice flying toward Azula.

_I'm not ready to back down._

Zuko then sent a flurry of blows to his sister, whom avoided each one and caused Zuko to sprawl to the riverbank. In a fury, he jumped right back up and continued to strike Azula.

_I'm still mad at h--- and_

Katara threw daggers of water at Azula's face one just barely scraping her fine cheekbones.

_I don't have time to go round and round and round,_

Zuko jabbed Azula in the stomach, but she grabbed his wrist and twisted it halfway around. With a grunt, he used his left hand to punch her clean in the face.

_It's too late to make it right,_

Katara came up behind the Fire Lord's daughter, who was clawing at Zuko and dumped a wave of water on her, then, without hesitation, blew it solid.

_Probably wouldn't if I could._

Both Katara and Zuko stepped back from the frozen Azula, while she was starting to burn through the ice with her firebending. Zuko focused and his hands held mountains of fire. Katara pulled water out from the river and held it steady. Before attacking, Azula broke the silence, "How noble, fire and water finally working in harmony."

Katara used the rest of her strength to send a crashing surf toward her, and likewise, Zuko burned every inch surrounding his sister.

_'Cause I'm mad as h---_

Azula shot a streak of lightning to the ground, setting off an explosion between the two elements, and vanished without a trace.

_Can't bring myself to do what I think I should._

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The waterbender turned to the Prince and smiled. "I hate you so much," she whispered.

He could only smile back at her, his gold eyes gleaming into hers. She was mesmerized by his stare, and, as if in a trance, leaned forward and their lips touched. She pulled back slowly, then ran off to find Aang. But just before leaving Zuko's view, she turned, blushed a bright pink and blew him a kiss.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Later… 

Katara healed Aang's wounds and thought of Zuko. _Zuko… a firebender… like the ones who killed my mother…_

_Forgive, sounds good,_

But it wasn't he who killed her.

_Forget, I don't think I could._

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Zuko sat on the edge of his campsite, playing quietly with his dinner. _Katara… she can't fill the spot in heart for my mother…_

_They say, time heals everything,_

But she filled another…

_But I'm still waiting…_


End file.
